All the reasons why Tom Riddle was the HBP

[Stephanie]

No: HPFGUIDX 103730

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "pandrea100" <pandrea100 at h...> 
wrote:
> mnaperrone at a...> wrote:
> > 1)  JKR said she almost chose the title HBP for COS, which is 
all 
> > about a young Tom Riddle.  No other character - except for 
Harry - 
> > who could qualify as the HBP played an important role in this 
book -
> > at least not an important enough role to warrant a title about 
him.
> 
> But she also said she changed the book so much that the title no 
> longer fit, so it's possible the role of whoever or whatever the 
HBP 
> is was substantially reduced or even written out.  If Riddle was 
> indeed the HBP, why would the title no longer fit?
>  
> > 2)  JKR has said that we will find out more about Riddle and why 
he 
> > turned out the way he did.  Well, we're running out of books.
> 
> Doesn't mean it has to be in the title, we can still learn about 
> him.  For instance, suppose she'd said "Book Five will reveal why 
> Snape really hated James", you wouldn't argue "But the title is 
The 
> Order Of The Phoenix, therefore it must be linked!"
> 
> > 3)  The young Tom Riddle WAS NOT V.  He became V.  So its 
> consistent 
> > for JKR to say that the HBP is not Harry or V and have it be 
about 
> > Riddle.
> 
> Only if there is some reason why Tom Riddle was the Prince and 
> Voldemort was not.  We have to take her statement that Voldemort 
was 
> NOT the Prince at face value, so why, then, did he stop being the 
> Prince?
> 
> > 4)  JKR is coming to the end of the series - its necessary for 
her 
> to 
> > narrow our focus to the resolution as opposed to expanding the 
> > canvas.  Introducing a new character as the HBP or greatly 
> expanding 
> > the history of an existing character would all tend to expand 
the 
> > canvas as opposed to narrowing it.  
> 
> Only if she wants to fully flesh out every detail.  I would 
imagine 
> that as a writer she would be more excited about bringing in new 
> stuff than painstakingly going over everything/everybody 
previously 
> mentioned and explaining everything about them, what a slog.
> 
> > Book 6 will be about Riddle's past and also about V's power 
> becoming 
> > more widespread and open and obvious.  
> 
> I agree.  I also think there will be stuff about the history of 
> Hogwarts - doubtless giving Hermione more cause to quote her 
> favourite book, which has been mentioned (I think) in every volume 
to 
> date.
> 
> >Book 7 will resolve all those 
> > Harry questions - the green eyes, Lily, the Marauders/Snape, 
> Godric's 
> > Hollow, etc.
> 
> Possibly.  I don't really understand why everyone makes such a big 
> deal about his eye colour though.  I think it's just description, 
> like his hair sticking up, and a convenient way for people to be 
> inspired to talk about his parents ("You look so like them ...").
> 
> Pandrea

Steph here: 
Pandrea...I agree with all that you said...except the eye color 
thing...JK has said on many occassions that Harry's eyes will play 
an important part...she even mentioned how the director of PoA 
unintentionally put in clues for the next books...and Lily's eyes 
were mentioned a few times in that movie although I don't believe it 
was really mentioned in that specific book.

And why can't the HBP be Godric Gryffindor?  If we know tons about 
the heir of Slytherin...don't you think it makes sence that she 
changed the name of Book two...b/c she took the GG info out?